Four weeks to Christmas
by spiralnebulaM31
Summary: Two families merge in an unexpected way. A story about comfort, faith and loving again after a tragedy. Outlaw Queen and Hood-Mills family modern AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Thanks to Alexia (the-notsoevil-queen tumblr) for checking this for me! This story was created as a Secret Santa gift for claraonthecloud tumlbr! I decided to devide it into five short chapters instead of posting one long one-shot. Each chapter takes place on a Friday, one for each Friday until the 25th of December 2015.

* * *

 _November 27th_

She wakes up slowly, a profound warmth spreading through her body and making her want to be asleep again just to enjoy it a little longer. Awareness comes suddenly when she feels a strong arm circling her waist and drawing her close to the body it's attached to. Her eyes widen in shock with the realization of what happened the previous night.

Regina Mills doesn't do that. She doesn't sleep with random men while drunk. In fact she rarely gets drunk and she doesn't even remember sleeping with men she didn't know before. Actually, she doesn't remember when the last time she slept with someone was. It was before Henry's eighth birthday, that's for sure. She remembers the disaster her last blind date was a few weeks after her son's birthday party and she cringes with disgust at the memory of the man's creepy way of always looking a little lower than her eyes and touching every part of her body that he could reach.

This man's touch feels different though. It feels safe and gentle, and in no way wrong. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, trying not to let her mind wander towards that direction. What happened between them is not going to happen again; she can't let her hormones and loneliness get in the way of her logic.

Her mind is trying to figure out ways to leave the bed without him noticing, when she feels him stir behind her and internally curses her luck. She feels _him_ against her bare behind and flashes of their recent activities come to her mind and blur her thoughts. She was drunk, but not drunk enough to lose her judgement. She did everything consciously and she knows he wasn't that drunk either. He probably remembers everything as well, although his memories might be a jumble due to a possible minor hangover.

His arm tightens around her waist for a moment and then his hold loosens, but his arm remains in place. The move is accompanied by a deep intake of breath and she knows he's now awake.

A few seconds later, he retrieves his arm from her body and she shivers at the loss of contact despite being covered with a thick fluffy blanket. She gets the message and it's the chance she was looking for. He wants her to leave and she wants nothing more than to get out of this situation as soon as possible.

She's on her feet in no time, dragging the sheet with her and wrapping it tightly around her naked body. She collects every piece of clothing that belongs to her from the floor and before she steps out of the bedroom, she turns to look at him. Their eyes immediately lock and she realizes that that's where he was looking at, not her body, not her nearly nakedness.

He's as handsome as he was the previous night, his blue eyes alone making her feel wanted and cherished by the gentle way they seem to be looking right through her. There's something else there though, something that didn't exist in the hazy intensity that was the previous night. His gaze hides guilt, a feeling she seems to have hidden deep inside her, but apparently this kind of guilt is new to him. She remembers the sick feeling in her stomach after she realized that she had sex with Graham. They had been going out for months before she was ready to take the next step and still sharing intimate moments with a man that wasn't her lost husband had been disturbing at first. Graham had been sweet and understanding though, and he helped her feel better about her overwhelming emotions.

As she stands by the door, unmoving, her mind tells her that this is not the same thing. She doesn't know the man – Robin, she knows his name is Robin; she learnt that in some brief moments of conversation they had while they were lost in passion – and she has no right to delve deep into his life.

He doesn't say anything and neither does she. She breaks eye contact and reaches the front door in a few quick steps. While she's putting on her wrinkled dress that stinks of alcohol and smoke, her eyes fall on a set of photos hanging on the hallway wall. Regina's heart clenches when she sees the obvious happiness in the woman's smile. She has dark skin and dark hair, and she looks at the equally dark haired toddler in her arms with an amount of love only a mother can show.

Understanding what must have happened, she feels as guilty as she did after her first night with Graham, and maybe even more. She thinks about going back to the bedroom to talk with Robin or to just listen because she knows how important and helpful that could be for him. But that would mean bonding time and a possible connection forming between them, and she knows she can't have that, not after Daniel's death and Graham's failed attempt to win her heart.

So, Regina opens the door and silently exits Robin's house and Robin's life.


	2. Three weeks to Christmas

**A/N:** I appreciate every comment, favorite and follow, thank you! I hope you enjoy the continuation of the story. I'm posting the second chapter a little later than I expected, but you know, life happens. Hopefully, the next chapter will be up next week. Thank you, Alexia (the-notsoevil-queeen), for checking this for me!

* * *

 _December 4th_

Regina stands frozen on the pavement, unable to take another step forward, despite Henry's hand pulling on hers insistently. She averts her eyes from Henry and the building in front of them for a few moments, trying to find something else to look at, anything but the church and her son's pleading eyes, because she knows that if she looks into his eyes, his wish will be granted sooner or later.

What she sees makes her heart ache and her head feel heavy. Apparently she is not the only one hesitating to enter the holy place in these festive days before Christmas, which only confirms her suspicions that she's not the only one who refuses to believe. Most of the rush hour crowd passes them by, but several people stop to look at the imposing building with awe. Some of them take photos in front of it, some others go closer to check the timetable that's pinned at the entrance. A few enter the church quietly, evidently humbled by the sanctity of their surroundings.

"Mark! Wait, I want to go inside for a moment," a woman around Regina's age says from somewhere behind them and the next moment she appears, pushing through the crowd.

"You know nothing is going to change in your life if you go to church once or twice during the holiday season, right?" a man says, sounding annoyed. Still, he follows the woman into the church.

Regina rolls her eyes, momentarily regretting it, and looks at Henry again, wishing he hasn't noticed her expression. She finds Henry studying her intently and knows that her son is old enough to understand what is going on. Her ten-year-old boy is everything she has hoped for; a brilliant energetic person who has already developed his own personality. He is capable of reading his mother like an open book when it comes to her changing moods and Regina realizes that she probably won't be able to deny him this time.

"Mom, come on! The week before last week you said we could come next week. And last week you said we could come next week. And now it's next week for the second time and I really want to goooo!" Henry whines while finishing his sentence, reminding Regina of the time he was still a toddler.

"Henry, you could still do a variety of things related to Christmas. We can find you fun hobbies and –"

"But I want to do _this_!" Henry interrupts his mom.

Regina sighs and looks back at the building. Grand and monumental, the oldest church in their town is open for everyone who needs to pray or seek for shelter and comfort. Or just for participating in the rehearsals of the children choir. That's what Henry is obsessed with attempting to do this December. Regina feels that he won't stop asking for it until the day of the main event. She doesn't get why he wants it so desperately, but it's the third week in a row that he sneakily dragged her here and she's seriously thinking about finally guiding him inside.

It takes four more people to enter the church and several minutes to pass until she makes her decision. She will go in. She will let her son do what he wishes for despite the cold sweat she feels on her forehead and back even in the idea of setting foot into that place again.

"Okay," she says and feels Henry bounce up and down beside her a couple of times.

The boy runs towards the entrance and after looking back at her for a second, he disappears into the building.

 _A building_ , Regina thinks. _It's just a building._

She takes a deep breath and with shaking legs, she follows her son into the place she swore she would never go in again all those years ago.

The first step is scary, but the second one is easier. Henry's enthusiasm makes her keep walking and her mind is soothed by the beauty around her. The stained windows give the inside of the church a unique character; the illustration of each window describing its own story. There are embossed designs on the ceiling, and the place is filled with plain wooden pews.

The people around her are what makes Regina's heart feel lighter though. She is used to people rushing in the streets, carelessly moving during long stressful days. The atmosphere here is tranquil and rare. A few people are standing in between the pews or in the middle corridor, and some are sitting, while the members of the choir, kids of all ages, have already started gathering in the front. Those kids, with their smiles and their energy, are the life of this large place.

After Regina talks with the choir instructor and sees more kids arrive, she is certain that Henry is in good hands. Besides, he is already talking with a boy she recognizes as one of his classmates. Regina wants him to have as much fun as possible, but she's not ready to stay in this church for long.

Two hours later she's back. The steps into the building aren't as easy this time because Henry isn't by her side. He's inside though and that thought helps her put one foot in front of the other despite the painful memories that erupt in her mind with each step.

The choir is still singing and Regina smiles as she sees her little boy – who is not that little anymore – blending in and expressing himself with passion. She convinces herself to keep listening and focus on Henry instead of remembering the heartache she felt when she lost her husband right outside this building.

She's standing at one of the side corridors, near the exit, lost in her thoughts and not really interested in being sociable.

"Hello, Regina."

Regina hears from beside her, strange and yet somehow familiar. It takes her a few moments to recognize the voice she just heard. She gasps and immediately wishes that she hadn't, because he took her by surprise and she doesn't want him to see the vulnerability she feels right this moment.

She turns towards him and sees calmness mixed with a different kind of guilt than the one his expression held a week ago.

"Hello, Robin," she replies quietly.

She still finds him handsome, even more so under the soft light of the church. His stubble seems to be a little longer now – she scolds herself for bringing the sensation of his stubble on her skin in her mind – and his light blue shirt brings out his eyes in the most attractive way. Regina can smell a hint of pine which must be his shower gel or soap, along with something that reminds her of him and that night, and his scent is so much more sensational now that neither of them stinks of cheap overnight bar.

She realizes that she's staring at him and she sees the corners of his lips turn up, ready to form a smirk judging from the playful expression his eyes hold. Regina is surprised once more and swallowing her slight irritation about his apparent smugness, she decides to ask him why he's here.

She doesn't get to speak because in the next moment a small boy runs towards Robin who bends down opening his arms to automatically accept him into his embrace. Robin picks the boy up and holds him on his hip, looking at him with a bright smile.

"Hi, daddy!" the boy says cheerfully and Regina frowns when she realizes that she hadn't even noticed that the choir had stopped singing. Father and son have the same adorable dimples while they smile, although the boy doesn't have any of his father's other characteristics. The boy's hair, eyes and skin tone are much darker than Robin's, and Regina recognizes the toddler she saw in the photos before she left their apartment. The photos must have been taken about a year ago, but it's definitely the same boy.

"Hello, my boy," Robin replies, his voice full of adoration and pride for his son.

"This is Roland," Robin says, turning to look at Regina. Henry chooses this moment to show up beside his mother, looking curiously at the three of them.

"Hello, Roland. I'm Regina," she says and reaches over to shake Roland's hand. The boy giggles and his expression tells her that he's already warming up to her.

"And this is Henry." Regina wraps her arm around Henry's shoulders and brings him closer.

Robin shakes Henry's hand like Regina did with Roland and introduces himself.

"So, do you two know each other?" Robin asks the two boys.

"Daddy, no! Henry is a big boy! And I'm only five years old!" Roland says with the innocence only a child that young can have and holds up his hand, unrolling five little fingers to emphasize his statement. His moves remind Regina of Henry when he was that age and she can't help but smile sweetly at Roland.

"Hello, Roland," Henry says with an easy smile, Regina's kind boy making her proud.

Roland blushes and mutters a shy "hi". Both adults chuckle and turn to each other at the same time. Their eyes lock, and Regina's heartbeat increases unexpectedly. This is a moment shared between parents, a feeling of pride only _they_ understand. And it feels so intimate when shared with him, because even if they don't know each other, there's something there. The beginning of the bond she refused to attempt to start a week ago seems to be starting now and she knows it's inevitable, at least for her, when she realizes that seeing Robin with his little boy in his arms makes him even more attractive in her eyes.

"Will you be here again next week?" Robin asks, breaking eye contact, his question directed to both Henry and Regina.

Regina hears Henry's enthusiastic "YES!" before she has time to even think of a way to reply. She shoots a smile to Henry and turns to Robin and Roland. "Yes, we will be here," she says.

Robin nods before placing Roland back on his feet. "We'll see you next week then," he says with a warm smile and they exchange wishes for a good night.

Regina and Henry leave after talking with the choir instructor again, Regina wanting to make sure that it's alright for Henry to actually participate in the Christmas celebration of the church.

Her feelings are mixed when they pass through the exit and leave the building behind them. She's thrilled that Henry had such a good time and confused about Robin's behavior. He seemed to be distant the other night, while this time he was welcoming. She decides to not let her mind get filled by thoughts of that man, the evening's difficult act of going into the church already overwhelming and exhausting her. Henry's hand in her own is comforting, a reminder that she's not alone, that she has someone to live for, and she's grateful for that.


End file.
